


Of Men and Jerks

by ThymeSprite



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Blind Date, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Secret Admirer, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-18 00:19:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3549032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThymeSprite/pseuds/ThymeSprite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reader has a horrible day and her best friends, the Avengers, decide to cheer her up.<br/>And one of them has more reason to do so than all the others combined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The end of a horrible day

You stood outside Avengers Tower, willing yourself not to cry. You had just had the worst. Day. Ever.

EVER.

Just thinking about it made your eyes sting with tears, but you squared your shoulders and bit your tongue. You would not cry, you would not allow them to see your tears. Instead, you settled for anger, pure and menacing, as you stormed into the tower, pushing your pain away and focusing on the rage you had felt throughout the day, before slowly you had resigned to self-pity. But no longer.

Clacking your heels angrily on the floor, you stormed into the living room, making all of the present Avengers look up at you, their eyes wide. Steve even flinched at your unusually enraged behaviour, but only Tony was stupid enough to actually open his mouth: “Hey, babe, what…”

“Shut up!”, you growled and plopped down onto a bar stool, “Shut up, for the love of God, and fix me a drink.”

He merely nodded, pouring the whiskey from the bottle in his hand straight into a tumbler he then placed in front of you on the counter. You downed the liquid instantly, hating the burn it left behind, but at the same time relishing the slight numbness that came with it.

“(Name), what’s wrong?”, Steve asked in concern, sitting down next to you, “This… isn’t like you.”

“No, it isn’t.”, Bruce chimed in, sitting down on your other side, “What happened?”

Clint and Natasha joined Tony in the kitchen, Thor put his heavy hand on your back, almost smothering you with this simply gesture. And you even saw Bucky, the newest member of the Avengers, gingerly step closer, watching you with something akin to concern in his eyes.

“This…”, you began, but your voice broke and you sniffed, “Was the worst day I ever had.”

You saw Tony raise an eyebrow in a “girlfriend, please” expression, but Natasha mercilessly whacked him over the head for it. Any given day, that would have at least made you smile, but today, it did not. And Steve noticed, gently repeating his question: “What happened?”

You huffed, blowing your hair out of your face and glanced at Bruce: “Remember the biotech firm you landed me a job with?”

“Yes, I recommended you to your boss myself.”, Bruce nodded, and you shrugged, “Well, ex-boss, I was “let go”, as he put it.”

“What?”, Tony cried out, so baffled he almost spilt his whiskey, “That dung-for-brains FIRED you?”

“Sure did.”, you said and Bruce frowned, “Well, he never was the smartest one around, but that is low even for him. Did he say why?”

“You know him longer than I do, what do you think?”, you snapped sarcastically, but then sighed, “Sorry, Bruce. No, he did not. Simply put the notice on my desk, told me to gather my things and get out well before finishing time. Just like that.”

“Jerk.”, Clint muttered and shrugged helplessly when Natasha glanced at him, “What? He is.”

“True.”, you mumbled, pushing your glass over to Tony who immediately understood and refilled it.

“Why would he fire someone like you?”, Steve wondered, “You’ve got to be the best at your job in the whole firm.”

“Thanks, sweetie.”, you chuckled bitterly, “But apparently, I’m not.”

“Why is he the leader of this firm if he is clearly a fool?”, Thor asked and you snickered, “Beats me. But that isn’t the worst part.”

“There’s always more…”, Tony unhappily mumbled, pulled your glass to him and filled it almost to the brim, “Bottoms up, honey.”

Together you drank and Tony pretended not to notice the stern gaze Steve kept at him for it. You knew he did not like drinking, but tonight, you needed it. You really needed it to tell them the next bit of today’s ill luck.

“So, well before five I had my stuff packed, the desk clean for the next poor sod to get into the grind and I went home…”, you began, but your throat tightened.

“(Name)?”, Thor asked, rubbing your back in comforting circles and leaning over you to look into your face. You could not help it, they all saw your tears then. You had sworn not to show any, dammit!

“I got home, you know, Bruce, the apartment I moved into with…”, you tried again and Bruce nodded, gesturing for you to continue, but then you had to wipe away a tear and Natasha interjected, “Were you robbed? Attacked? Point me at the guy and…”

“No…”, you slowly interrupted her, “I just… well, not only do I have an ex-boss, but also an ex-boyfriend and an ex best friend. I caught them there, in our bed…”

Now your tears flowed, you could not stop them.

“Son of a bitch!”, Tony shouted, while Steve and Bruce merely stared at you in disbelief. Thor’s hand on your back tightened, balled to a fist. Clint was mumbling to himself as if he was replaying your words in his mind to make sure he had really just heard you say what he thought you had said. Bucky too balled his fists and his lips tightened in a stern and angry grimace.

“That’s it.”, Natasha hissed, “I’m gonna go get my knives.”

“Wait for me to suit up, Red.”, Tony told her and then asked you, “Why didn’t you say anything sooner, honey? Id’ have flown over and beaten the living daylights outta him.”

“I can’t even disagree.”, Steve muttered next to you and when you looked up, tears still flowing and your eyes most probably all red and puffy again, Steve added, “He’d deserve a good beating for hurting you like that.”

“Well, feel free, you know the address.”, you joked bitterly, “For they also kicked me out.”

“They did what now?”, Bruce asked levelly, disbelief and anger in his eyes.

“Calm down.”, Natasha quickly said, “I know I’m not one to talk, but hey, you know how it is.”

“Yes, only you are even dangerous without turning green.”, Bruce told her with a light smirk, but he did calm down, much to your relief. He then gripped your hand, his touch familiar from the time when you had been working for the same boss some years back as he had soon been your best friend. Before the other guy…

“So, now you know.”, you told them collectively, sniffling and realising that you already felt at least a bit better due to their united outrage at your now ex-boyfriend, “But the thing is, I’m without a job, without a home and, apart from you guys, out of friends.”

Thor resumed rubbing circles on your back and even Steve touched your shoulder for a moment. Tony filled your glass again as nonchalantly as a duck takes to water, which made you chuckle and say: “I may not have any friends apart from you, but you’re awesome and all the friends I need. Thank you.”

They all smiled at you (apart from Bucky, but at least he nodded his head in gratitude, which was already quite the thing for him) and Tony flashed you a bright smile: “I’m not only a totally awesome friend, I’m also the bestest boss you’ve ever had.”

“Huh?”, you mumbled, your mind not quite catching on to what he was saying and Tony smirked at you, “You heard me, honey. I could use someone with your skills, so c’mon, work for me. And Bruce, in the lab. You’d be reunited as colleagues and you’d also have lodgings here.”

“You…can just…?”, you stammered and Tony winked at you, “Sure, honey. It’s my tower!”

“Thank you!”, you exclaimed giddily and jumped up from the bar stool, hopping around the counter and tackling Tony in a hug he returned with boyish laughter. When he released you again, he asked you in mock sternness: “Have you been drinking on the job?”

“I’m off the clock. Boss.”, you countered, making him laugh and the rest as well (apart from Bucky of course, but he raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement of your jest).

“For real, though.”, Tony then told you, “Point me to that jerk and I’ll crush him to a pulp.”

“No, thanks.”, you refused with a grin and a shrug, “If they are stupid enough to betray me like that, they deserve each other.”

“That’s my girl.”, Bruce said smiling at you, but Steve was, as always, the voice of reason, “So, are your belongings still there?”

“Please say yes.”, Tony said and when you frowned in confusion, he said, “C’mon, honey. Imagine their faces when they see the Avengers come collect your stuff!”

It was a hilarious thought, you had to admit it, but you said: “Sorry, I have to disappoint you. All my stuff is outside in my car.”

“Meh.”, Tony mumbled, but then his eyes lit up again, “We could have the suits carry it in. Fly it up to your room!”

“Uhm…”, you began and Steve, barely hiding a grin, but concerned like you nonetheless suggested, “Why not do it the old-fashioned way and simply carry the boxes in ourselves?”

“Because that’s boring.”, Tony dead-panned, “And I’m a modern man, not a 90-year old virgin.”

For that, Tony earned himself a smack over the head from both Natasha and you. She was way quicker than you, though, so he yelled “Ouch!” at her smack and then whined again at yours, “Ow…”.

The rest, however, agreed with Steve and so your belongings were carried in “the old-fashioned” way, Tony’s constant complaints some sort of background working music for the boys, because they refused to let you carry a box after the day you had had. It only made you feel more at home in their company than you already had.

It was not all that much you had wanted to take from your old life into this new one, so it took them only one go to get all your stuff, even though Thor, Bucky and Steve each carried four boxes. God alone knew how they had balanced that…

You figured that your room would end up being full of boxes, but when Tony led your group – still constantly complaining – to your room and you stepped inside…

“It’s huge…!”, you muttered, darting from the little hall into the next room, and the one beyond that, calling out to your friends, “Tony, this isn’t a room, that’s a friggin’ apartment!”

“Yeah, honey, I know.”, he told you with a wink and you smiled, “Thank you. How can I ever repay that?”

“You’re gonna be working for him.”, Natasha joked, “He’ll make you pay. Most probably in your nerves and your patience.”

Tony gave her a hurt look for that, but did not deny it. How could he?

You thanked them each in turn for their help, both cheering you up before and carrying your stuff, you hugged them all tightly, except Bucky, who you at first tried to hug, but then settled for a handshake with instead as he did not seem the type for a friendly thank-you-hug.

When they had left your room, you began making yourself at home, unpacking everything. If you had any say in it, you would not be leaving soon, so you got comfortable, sorting your clothes and setting up your computer at the desk.

Later, when you were exhausted from the day you decided to take a relaxing bubble bath. When you saw the tub, you let out a girlish squeal. You then clamped your hand over your mouth, hoping no one had heard you. But it was…glorious. You would definitely have to thank Tony again for giving you such a place. Just like that!

 

 

Weeks later, you had settled in well and loved your new home even more. The company was great, the lodgings were great. Even your new job was great!

True enough, Tony could be an ass if he wanted to, but he could also be kind and almost sweet. Bruce was, as he had always been, still your best friend, calm and solid as a rock, while Clint was always good for a laugh, cheering you up whenever you needed it. Or he simply decided he wanted to.

Natasha and you had the most unconventional girls’ nights, instead of painting your nails, you trained and she showed you moves that even allowed you to throw Steve over your shoulder. Yes, he had not believe it and paid dearly with humiliation when you had mercilessly floored him. As you had floored Bucky, even though he had put up a bit more of a fight, but then he acknowledged that he had underestimated you. But the glint in his eyes had told you that he never would make that mistake again.

Thor was always wonderful to talk to, sharing the best and most wondrous stories about Asgard, preferably during breakfast while eating a whole stack of Steve’s pancakes. You had to admit though, they were delicious, almost criminally so. But Steve being Steve, he never accepted a compliment for his cooking.

The free time you had you sometimes spent in a little coffee shop down the street, simply relaxing a bit when things got too loud and too crowded for you in the Tower. You loved your friends, but sometimes you simply had to be alone.

Even though you had recently met a new friend in the coffee shop, also someone who was trying to get a bit of calm and relaxation in the always bustling city. You were just coming back from such a visit spent at the coffee shop, talking with your new friend, Lucas, over tea and scones for hours.

Still smiling to yourself, but also weary from the day and the ongoing thoughts about your heartache, you approached your door, but suddenly frowned. Was there something at your door? You were not sure, so you quickened your pace.

 

What do you find at your door?


	2. A gift bag of your favourite colour

“Huh?”, you mumble to yourself, lifting the bag off the door handle, “Where did you come from?”

Of course, the box would not answer, so you unlocked your door and stepped into your apartment. Slowly, you took off your shoes, placed your purse and took care hanging your jacket, all just to put off looking into the gift bag. You simply wanted to feel the excitement for a bit longer, you wanted to wonder who could have put it there. Just one of your friends here? But why?

Would it have been Tony, trying to feed you chocolate spiked with laxatives? The thought made you giggle, but you nevertheless decided to – should Tony really have sent the bag and it contained something to eat – to offer it to him first. Just to be sure.

And if this was not a joke, what then? Just a friendly gesture?

Or was it… from a secret admirer?

Butterflies stormed your stomach, fluttering up a riot. Could it be? You smiled to yourself, but then sighed. No, you hoped it was not from a secret admirer. And you definitely hoped it was not from an open admirer!

Someone courting you was just what you needed after that horrible break-up… not.

Although, you had to admit, you did not feel sad anymore. Your ex was not worth the energy a single thought cost you. So you decided to ignore the bastard and you smiled to yourself when you gingerly picked up the gift bag again on your way to your bedroom. You sat down on the bed, giddy like a girl on her first date, and then peeked inside.

A box, there was a box. Curious now, you lifted it out of the bag and stared in awe. Your favourite chocolates… and a whole lot of it. Someone definitely wanted you to feel better.

Wondering who that might have been you set the box of chocolates aside and just then you saw the greeting card that had come with it. It had a ridiculously cute drawing of a snuggling pile of kittens on it and you giggled when you saw it. Trust in kittens to brighten the day, no matter what.

Still chuckling to yourself you opened the card to read. It was only a few lines:

“Dear (Name), you’ve had such a hard time the last couple of weeks.

So, have some instant endorphins. A lot of things can produce them, sports being one of them, but let’s be honest, eating chocolate is the best way to get to them.

Love, Bruce”

That way he had signed almost all the notes he had ever left for you and all his emails, but on this occasion, it made your heart swell and your eyes tear up. Happy tears, but tears and you tried blinking them away. Not only had he remembered your favourite chocolate, he had also left such a wonderful note… There was a reason why he had been your best friend for years now.

“Jarvis?”, you addressed the AI of the tower and he replied in his calm and polite voice, “What can I do for you, miss?”

“Is Bruce still in the lab?”, you enquired as you had left him and Tony there when you had finished today’s workload.

“No, Dr. Banner is currently in his room.”, Jarvis informed you and you said, jumping off the bed, “Thanks, Jarvis.”

You had not really, not consciously decided what to do next, but your heart and your feet had a will of their own, making you leave your little apartment to dash over to Bruce’s.

Your heart was just so full of joy, you had to vent it somehow. And what better way than to vent it on the one who had caused it? So you found yourself in front of Bruce’s door, giddily fidgeting and grinning like a buffoon.

When the door opened, you barely give Bruce the time to react: “Oh, hi, wha…umph!”

You cut him off by hugging him so tightly he had no other choice than catching you almost mid-jump.

“Thank you!”, you said, kicking your legs happily and tightening your hold on him. You just could not contain your excitement. Bruce held you, chuckling in surprise, and when he slowly released you, keeping his hands on your waist, he asked you with an almost goofy grin: “How much of the chocolate have you eaten already?”

“None.”, you beamed up at him, jumping up and down, “It’s just… thank you so much!”

“Gladly.”, Bruce laughed, “If it has such an effect on you.”

You shrugged ruefully and bit your lip, suddenly fully aware that Bruce’s hands were still on your waist. Shyly you stepped back, as did Bruce, who then said: “Ah, come on in…”

You did, suddenly unsure what to do. He was your best friend, dammit, and now you were suddenly nervous. For lack of a better thing you knew to say, you asked him: “How… did you remember the chocolates I like?”

For a moment, Bruce looked away, then she shrugged with a smile: “You love them so much. How could I forget?”

Giggling, you bit your lip, not exactly sure what to do, but if the butterflies in your stomach had anything to say about it, they would have dragged you and Bruce to the bed already.

Oops! Where the heck had that thought come from?

“Are you alright?”, Bruce asked and you realised that you had blushed fiercely.

“Ah, well…yeah, sure!”, you stammered, but that did not convince him, you could see it clearly.

“Ahem…”, he cleared his throat, obviously trying to figure out how to say something, but he then settled for something he clearly had not intended to say, “Well then, enjoy your chocolate.”

Was he kicking you out? He then gently gestured to the door. Yes, he was in fact kicking you out…

Suddenly feeling bold, you decided that no, you would have none of it. Instead of stepping to the door, you blocked his way to it.

“(Name)?”, he asked you, but you sighed exasperatedly, “How long do we want to keep this pretence up?”

“I… I don’t know what you mean…”, Bruce said, blinking and then averting his eyes. Gotcha, you thought, a guilty conscience could not show itself any clearer than that.

“This.”, you gestured from him to you, “This… friendship.”

Now he openly stared at you, shock in his eyes.

“I am sorry…”, he began, but you realised that he had gotten the wrong idea. Poor Bruce, he never thought someone might actually like him for who he was. He always assumed the worst.

“Bruce, you don’t buy any old friend a huge box of their favourite chocolates just like that.”, you sternly stated and he blinked, caught, then his shoulders slumped.

“I understand that you are angry…”, he began, but you cut him off with a scoff and a smile, “I’m not angry, you dimwit.”

“Then…?”, he began, but again you interrupted, “Oh, screw it.”

With that, you grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him down to your level, placing a firm kiss on his lips. At first he was too startled to react, but when he finally did, Bruce pulled you close against his chest and returned your kiss with equal urgency, but much more gently. Much better.

Your lips went soft and placid under his and you already felt a bit lightheaded from bliss. When he suddenly stepped back.

“We…”, Bruce stammered, but you stopped him by placing a finger on his lips, “No. The other guy will not ruin this. Because he does not want to.”

“How do you think you know that?!”, Bruce muttered, anguish in his voice and utter shock in his eyes, “I don’t even know that!”

“You do.”, you countered, “You just refuse to see it.”

He sighed, but you held up your hand to stop him: “Let me finish. When was the last time he took you by surprise? Ages ago. When were you ever angry with me? Once. Did you Hulk out? No. And it’s not just been because of your self-control, it is because of the fact that we are good for each other, you are exactly what I need, all of you, and I am what you need, you both. The other guy is not angry with me, he never has been. I know it and so do you, you are just too afraid to believe it. Just like I was too scared to believe you’d love me too.”

He was stunned into absolute silence by your monologue, mouth agape and eyes wide, unblinking.

Grinning, you closed his mouth with an almost audible snap, then hugged him again.

“You’ll get used to the thought.”, you told him, “Until then…”

You stepped away, wanting to give him the time he needed, but Bruce stopped you. His arms were around you, holding you close to him, his heart racing, stumbling.

“You’re right.”, he mumbled against your shoulder, “I can’t really believe it yet, but I know you’re right.”

“Good then.”, you smiled and kissed him again, happy when he returned your caress without hesitation.


	3. A kid's toy

Frowning, you crouch down to see if someone had really left what you think this was. Yep, a toy. A bow and arrow, to be precise, in bright pink.

“What the hell?”, you muttered to yourself as you picked up the toy and stood up. You flinched when something zipped past your ear by half a hair’s breadth and you actually squeaked in fright when the same item connected with your door with a bang, then stuck there jittering with a whir. An arrow…with a suction cup.

Blinking in surprise and utter confusion, you turned around, seeing the culprit. Clint, of course. Who else could it have been?

He stood there, sporting a toy bow matching yours, only that it was baby blue and he grinned widely.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack!”, you accused him, but then you smiled and you knew that you would not be angry with him. Even worse, he knew as well and smirked: “What did I tell you? Always be on your guard.”

“Yeah, but you gave me that rubbish piece of advice concerning talking while Tony was around.”, you countered and he laughed. It was a bright, wonderful and horribly contagious sound, so you joined him within seconds. When your laughter quieted, you raised an eyebrow and asked him: “So, what’s the bow’n’arrow all about?”

“Me.”, Clint said and you rolled your eyes, earning another smirk, but he then elaborated, “I saw you training with Nat and you’re really not bad. For a non-superhero.”

“Gee, thank you, jerk.”, you mumbled crabbily and Clint added, “Well, I saw you and I figured since you’ve floored both of the old gents, maybe marksmanship is the next thing to teach you. That’s what the bow and arrow’s for.”

“Marksmanship.”, you deadpanned, “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”, Clint shrugged, “Why not? C’mon, take up that bow and let’s stalk the tower! Whoever manages to knock over Thor’s mead cup or Tony’s lab equipment wins!”

You laughed, but then you asked: “What are we playing for?”

“For love.”, Clint suggested, but you snorted derisively and demanded, “Loser has to make dinner.”

“Alright.”, Clint shouted, smirking again, “You can already slip on the oven mitts, honey.”

“Oh, it’s on!”, you then snarled at him, but you were both laughing. Grabbing the pink bow (and noticing the golden glitter he surely had purposefully put on it) you ran off into the direction of the lab, Clint right at your heels. You threw the door to the lab open, startling Bruce who then blinked at the two of you.

“Ambush!”, Clint yelled, then shot a toy arrow at the beaker Bruce was holding, almost knocking it out of his grasp.

“What the…?”, Tony asked, but you grinned and without a word fired an arrow at him. Straight at the Arc Reactor, bull’s eye!

“Hey!”, Tony complained, but you and Clint were howling with laughter and already running out the lab.

“Oi, get back here!”, Tony yelled behind you, but you heard him laughing breathlessly when he added, “That’ll earn you a pay cut!”

You did not care, this was way too much fun. Racing through the tower, you came across Thor in a hallway and the God of Thunder had no chance to find words, so quickly had you rushed past him. But you and Clint turned around to him at the same time, both of you letting loose an arrow that hit Thor right in the head. Giggling, you heard him mutter curses at you, but he did not chase you.

In the kitchen you found Steve opening a water bottle and raising it to drink from it just when you two entered. He instantly stopped dead in his movements and stared at you. Clint and you exchanged a glance, then you both took aim at Steve and let loose. Your arrows hit home, they hit the bottle and knocked it out of his hands, spilling its contents over Steve’s white t-shirt.

For a moment you stared, you had to, but when Steve turned beet-red alarmingly quickly, you both laughed and ran on.

“What is this ruckus all about?”, you heard Natasha call from the living room and you found her sitting there, cleaning her knives, as was Bucky. They both looked at you and it was only thanks to the fact that you and Clint had the element of surprise that you managed to fire your arrows at them, you at Bucky, he at Natasha.

You did not wait to see their reaction, you made a run for it.

You heard a muttered curse and knew you needed to get away, so you ran as quickly as you could. But Clint took your hand in his and pulled you into one hallway after the other, then into a room, all dark and small, a cabinet maybe.

You were both panting by then, but he shushed you and you tried your best to calm your heavy breathing. Just in time, too, because mere moments later you heard two sets of footsteps thundering past the door. You hardly stifled a giggle and Clint smiled brightly.

When he nodded to tell you it was safe again, you let out the breath you had held and you both burst out laughing. You were already feeling light-headed, your lungs were burning as were your legs from the running, but you had never felt so alive. You had to hold onto Clint so as not to fall as your knees wobbled.

“Ah, so I’ve finally worn you out enough.”, Clint smirked at you and when you looked up at him, only seeing a glint in his eyes in the darkness of the room, he suddenly leaned down to you, pressing his lips to yours in an unexpected kiss. It therefore took you a moment to react, but when your brain caught up with reality, you grabbed him by his hair and held him in place.

You had to break away soon, though, because you were still not breathing normally. Clint grinned, but you knew how to shut him up: “My arrow spilled the water on Steve. So I win, you gotta make dinner!”

“No way.”, Clint protested, but you nodded, “Yes way. Totally way.”

“Well…”, he then shrugged, “I won anyway.”

“Huh?”, you muttered and he quickly pecked you on the lips, then he grinned and said: “Remind me to train you properly. Those were some dang good shots!”

You chuckled, but when he pried the bow from your hand, you looked up at him, confused.

“For now, though, you are seriously too preoccupied with that stupid bow. Give it up and c’mere.”, he said and when he leaned closer to you again, you willingly gave the bow away in exchange for another kiss.


	4. Nothing

You squinted your eyes, but then shook your head. There was nothing at your door. Of course not, what should there have been?

Ridiculous, you thought to yourself and muttered a curse under your breath, wondering why you were starting to imagine things now.

Shaking your head at your own silliness, you dug your keys out of your purse to unlock your door, but when you attempted to slide the key in the lock, you noticed something out of the corner of your eye. Startled you spun around, dropping your keys in fright… when you recognised Bucky standing in the hallway, watching you.

“Oh, it’s you.”, you breathed, chuckling nervously and pressing your palm to your chest right over your fast beating heart.

“I did not mean to startle you.”, Bucky said and before you could do so, he bent down and picked up your keys, handing them to you with his left hand. He retracted it, changed the keys into his right hand, the one that was still his, flesh and blood, then handed you the keys with a shy twitch of his mouth.

“Thanks.”, you said and then added, “It’s okay, I just… didn’t expect you to be standing there…”

Your voice trailed off as you realised how that had probably sounded to him, namely as if you were wondering why he had been standing there at all. And in fact, you were wondering.

Bucky averted his gaze, as if… caught.

“Uhm…Bucky?”, you asked and he took a moment, then looked into your eyes and told you, his voice serious and sincere, “I was looking for you. It was a rough couple of weeks for you and you are often gone from the tower for a long time. I was just making sure you were alright.”

You were touched, to say the least, but also embarrassed, so you quickly said: “Thank you, I am alright.”

Well, perhaps a bit too quickly. Bucky kept his gaze on you, saying nothing aloud, but speaking volumes with his eyes alone. He knew… he just knew, somehow, he knew that you were absolutely not alright. But how?

You had been so careful not to let anyone see your sadness. Not even Bruce had picked up on it, not even he had seen your loneliness, your heartache. Then how had Bucky…?

“I…”, you began, stuttering and feeling tears well up in your eyes, “I am… really, honestly grateful for the home Tony gave me and the job and I love all of my friends here, all of you, but sometimes it…”

You did not know how to say it. You closed your eyes, bit your lip, hoped to find words when…

“Sometimes it’s just too much.”, Bucky whispered, his voice level, but yet somehow thick with emotion. Your eyes flew open and you looked at him, surprised and speechless. With a bitter and wry twitch of one corner of his mouth, Bucky added: “But the loneliness of your room is too oppressing.”

“Yes…”, you breathed, embarrassed and relieved at the same time, one tear making its way down your cheek. You raised your hand to wipe it away, but just as you did so, a gentle thumb did it for you. Instantly, you leaned into the warm, strong hand, realising a moment later that it was Bucky’s palm on your cheek, wiping away another tear that fell.

“How?”, you asked, when you slowly opened your eyes again to met Bucky’s. He did not answer, not in words, but the way he slightly cocked his head and the sadness in his blue eyes was all the answer: He knew how you felt, because he felt exactly the same.

You let out a shaky breath, a mixture of a pained groan and a sob, then you bitterly mumbled: “Some pair we are. Lonely in a group of our friends.”

“Because of it.”, Bucky corrected and you frowned, but he merely inclined his head away from your door, suggesting, “Let’s take a walk.”

“Is that what you do when…?”, you asked, knowing full well that he would understand your question of how he fought the oppressing loneliness, and he did and nodded as a reply.

The silence unnerved you a bit, so you wanted to fill it with words and you also wanted to tell him, so you did: “I go to a coffee shop a few blocks south.”

“Five.”, Bucky said, walking next to you, but you almost stumbled over your own two feet. Had he…?

For a moment, he met your gaze, waiting, one eyebrow raised in a silent question you could nevertheless almost hear in your mind. Didn’t you know that I followed you?

Yes, you could almost hear it, but no, you had had no idea. Bucky did not comment on it, but somehow, you found yourself smiling. You had not known that he had been following you, but now that you knew, it felt good to have someone looking out for you.

He led you out of the tower, down a few blocks and then you saw the familiar greenery of Central Park in front of you. It instantly brought a smile to your face.

Bucky looked at you, again a glint in his eyes as if he was silently say something. Maybe this time it was “I knew this would make you smile”.

You were not sure, but it felt good.

You walked in silence, simply breathing the air, hearing the children play which made you smile even more, but then you got curious and turned to Bucky, asking him: “Do you come here often?”

“How often do you go to the coffee shop?”, he countered, even though you both knew how often that was.

“Oh…”, you murmured, but then shyly smiled at him, “Why here? Do you have any happy memories here?”

Within an instant, you bit your tongue and rightfully so, because Bucky’s eyes darkened, as if a shadow of sorrow had been lain on them.

“I am so sorry.”, you said, “That was stupid and…”

“It’s alright.”, he said, nodding when he saw your doubtful look, “I do not recall anything, not really. But it… feels right. Somehow. I guess there must be some happy memories and some places do look familiar, but I can’t quite place the whispers of memory. I guess they’re lost forever.”

“I don’t think so.”, you objected, and Bucky merely shrugged, but turned away, his face a bitter grimace, braced for impact. Why? You had no idea.

After a few seconds of silence, Bucky turned to you, surprise in his eyes, a frown on his face, utter disbelief, but a positive one.

“Everything alright?”, you asked, gently touching his shoulder. When he flinched, you realised that it was his left shoulder, but you did not let go, simply rubbed it gingerly.

“I…”, he began, shifting a bit, but then no longer trying to evade your touch, even though it was the arm he hated so much. Yes, you knew that, had seen that he did not use it if he could avoid doing so.

“I…”, he tried again, but then shook his head and stated, “I expected you to keep prodding.”

“I am not Steve.”, you said and as he stared at you, eyes wide, you gave him a bitter smile, “He means well whenever he urges you to think, to try to remember. But… sometimes it’s just…”

“Too much.”, Bucky said in unison with you and you smiled at him, then shrugged, “If the memories come back, they’ll come back in their own time, not because someone urges them to. Let it come, but don’t force it.”

Bucky was silent for a long moment, then he took your hands in his, even the metal one, and said huskily: “Thank you.”

“Anytime.”, you replied with a smile, then you both resumed your walk without a word. When you rounded another curve in the pathway, you saw a cart selling cones of ice cream. You turned to Bucky, opening your mouth to suggest buying yourselves some ice cream and he turned to you at the exact same moment.

You laughed breathlessly and even Bucky cracked a smile. Not only that, he really did smile. And it was breathtaking.

“That…”, you whispered, “Is the first smile I have ever seen on your face.”

It instantly got smaller, but it did not vanish when he replied: “I thought I didn’t have much to smile for. Turns out I was wrong.”

Blinking in surprise and confusion, you simply stared at him and Bucky gave you a smile again, more tentative this time, but still a smile, then he said: “C’mon, ice cream’s on me, doll.”

He was gone so quickly you had not even had the time to process what he had just said. Had that been a pet name? From Bucky? To you?

“What’s it for you?”, his voice tore you away from your racing thoughts and after jerking your head to clear your thoughts, you ordered your ice cream, then Bucky ordered his, chocolate, and paid for both. You did not even try to protest, you knew he would not accept it anyway.

So you headed for the bench and sat down, merrily devouring your ice cream, as did Bucky next to you.

“I love this exact spot.”, you told him, “You have a wonderful view and ice cream is always in reach.”

He chuckled at that and then took in the view, mumbling: “I think I’ve been here before. There’s… something in the back of my mind.”

He then looked at you and with a wry grin, he mused: “Seems it’s not yet ready to come out, though.”

You returned his smile, but then Bucky stared off into the distance. It gave you a moment to watch him, really look at him. The stubble on his cheeks was dark and you wondered if it was as soft as it looked. Or would it be scratchy?

Amused, you realised that his hair had grown even longer, was now probably long enough to be tied in a bouncy ponytail. The thought made you giggle and Bucky turned to you, wordlessly raising an eyebrow.

“It’s just…”, be mumbled, thinking that it would be embarrassing, but then you shrugged and laughingly told him, “I just noticed how long your hair has grown. Have you ever tried tying it in a ponytail?”

Now he was blinking at you and it made you laugh even more: “I think it would look cute.”

Silence followed, until Bucky chuckled, popped the last bit of his ice cream cone into his mouth and said, grinning: “Cute? I don’t know if I wanna be considered cute.”

You rolled your eyes, embarrassed, but then you figured, offense was the best defence, and you so you countered: “On some men, a ponytail looks cute. On others… it looks attractive.”

The look he gave you now was… different. Contemplative and overall intense.

Then his gaze shifted, smoothly turned to a teasing, humorous glint and Bucky pursed his lips as he mused: “Attractive, huh? Think I’m on that team?”

You narrowed your eyes, wondering if he had laid out a verbal trap, but then you just decided to answer honestly: “Definitely. And you know you are.”

Again he smiled wryly, but he said nothing. The silence between you stretched, but this time, it was not unnerving for you, it was just… safe, comfortable.

With a smile on your lips, you finished your ice cream cone as well and then you both got up in a silent agreement to head back to the tower. It was curious, how the two of you hardly needed words. Curious, but comfortable.

Why had it never occurred to you that Bucky might have felt as lonely as you had all the time? No matter, you decided, from now on, you both had a friend to depend on, who would not feel bad for you because of your loneliness, but simply push it away for you. That knowledge was like a warm blanket on your heart, still aching after a rough breakup.

All the while on your way back to the Avengers tower the two of you stayed silent, right up until you two had reached the door to your room. You unlocked the door and then turned back to Bucky. Thinking about what to say, he beat you to it: “If you ever feel too lonely or too crowded again, come and get me. Promise me.”

“Only if you do the same.”, you asked of him and once again, you were allowed to see his smile, still vulnerable, still haunted, but so much more confident and more at ease than ever before.

Bucky merely nodded and while you were still wondering how to say good bye for now, he had already opened his arms for you. Without a second thought, you hugged him. And you instantly thought that you should have done that when he too had helped you move your stuff into your room, but then again, if you had, this moment would not have been so private, so… precious.

He then pulled back, at least he started to, but against your expectation he did not step back. Bucky simply leaned back enough to place a gentle kiss onto your cheek.

Only then did he let go of you. Without another word, but an indicated bow and a smile, he left. You, however, stood in your doorway, unable to move for a minute, maybe several. When you were able to form a coherent thought once again, you instantly smiled. Yes, you had gained a new friend, one you would surely call your friend forever. And, who knows? Maybe more than a friend…


	5. A box of snacks

You blinked at the object that stood innocently in front of your door. Innocently, but in a spot you would sure trip over it.

Crouching down you finally recognised the box and raised an eyebrow. A box of pop tarts… there was only one possible culprit for that. Thor.

You giggled to yourself remembering how often you had to restack the shelves with pop tarts as Thor ate through them in absolutely unbelievable speed. The only thing to stand between him and pop tarts were Steve’s pancakes, but nothing else.

Snickering, you got to your feet and opened the box, but you pouted when you found it empty. One culprit, only one.

Suddenly you craved a good serving of pop tarts and with the box in hand, you decided to go grab a plate. Never mind the scones you had had in the afternoon, you wanted pop tarts.

So you made your way into your room just to let your purse and coat plop to the floor and change your shoes for your much more comfortable slippers, before you headed for the kitchen, the empty box still in your hand. You sure hoped Thor had left at least some of your favourite pop tarts in the larder.

When you stepped into the kitchen, mentally going through the steps to your pop tarts and wondering what you would do while eating them, you suddenly froze in your steps. There was Thor, popping something into the microwave and when he shut it, he turned to you, smiling brightly: “Good evening. I trust this is still your favourite kind of this delicious treat?”

“It…is, yeah.”, you mumbled and he beamed at you, switching on the microwave, “Good then. Sit down and I will bring them to you once they are ready.”

“Uhm…thanks.”, you muttered, totally at a loss for words. You had no idea what the heck was going on.

“Ahem…Thor?”, you asked and he turned to you, a question in his eyes, but still a smile on his face while he waited for the microwave, so you quietly asked, “What are you doing?”

“Making pop tarts for you and me.”, he replied, giving you a smile that slowly fell and he blinkingly added, “Is something wrong? Do you not like this prospect?”

“I do.”, you said reassuringly, but then frowned, “I… just don’t understand it, is all.”

Thor came over to you, planted one of his big, strong hands firmly on your shoulder and said quietly: “When Jane left me… I had a hard time, just like I believe you are having right now. I thought nothing would make me smile again back then, but gradually, some things did. Like pop tarts. And I thought maybe they could accomplish the same thing for you.”

For a moment, you blinked at him, then you snorted half joking, half serious: “Sure, you won’t get fat from them.”

He chuckled at that and within an instant, you, too, were smiling, snickering away until the shrill sound from the microwave announced that your pop tarts were done.

Thor started around the counter to get them, but he turned his head to you and said over his broad shoulders: “You should smile more often. Your smile is truly beautiful.”

You were speechless, utterly speechless, and that condition had not been remedied when Thor returned to the counter you were sitting at and had placed a plate with your favourite pop tarts in front of you. By the time you had found your coherent thought again and were able to pick up a pop tart, Thor had already eaten three of his.

You gingerly bit off a corner of your own piece and nibbled at it, suppressing a sigh. Barely. Alright, not at all, you sighed, in part happily from the familiar taste and the memories it brought back, but for the other part also in sadness. This was the best moment of your day, a pop tart?

Well, Thor had made it for you, but still.

“Is there anything I can do?”, Thor asked quietly and you flinched at the sadness in his voice. When you turned to face him, he even put away the half-eaten pop tart and grasped your hand instead, enquiring, “What would make you smile more often? I have to admit, I am at a loss. With a lady from Asgard, I would saddle the finest horse and go for a ride with her or take her for a walk through the royal gardens. But here…”

You still could not believe you were really hearing even a single word of this. Thor, the God of Thunder, was racking his brains how to make you feel better? You of all people?

“Oh!”, he then said, smiling brightly at his sudden epiphany, “We do not have the Asgardian royal gardens here, but there is the Central Park.”

You giggled hesitantly at this and Thor smiled, obviously happy that his efforts had paid off so far, but you objected: “No, Central Park isn’t an option. People would recognise you. You’d not have a single minute to yourself.”

“And we do not want that, agreed.”, Thor said, but you opened your mouth to correct him. You were not so selfish to envy others his presence, but… Alright, you were. You wanted him for yourself, but you also did not wish for him to be bugged by someone who would recognise him, but not respect his privacy.

Instead of explaining all that, you simply looked at him and found his gaze still on you, searching your eyes for something he could do for you, so you replied honestly: “I’d rather just stay here. Eat a few more pop tarts, watch a movie together, talk to you…”

“If this is what you want, it is my command.”, Thor replied and you smiled, “Do you want to choose a movie while I make more pop tarts for us?”

“Sure. Thanks.”, you said, but then teased, “I’m gonna get fat.”

“No, you will not.”, Thor told you, “And even if you gained a few pounds, you would still be beautiful. Always.”

With that, he once again left you speechless. Your legs even felt numb when you went over to the living room to pick out a movie to watch, but you faintly heard Thor rummaging through the kitchen, making more pop tarts.

Amazing… you were still halfway convinced that you were imagining all this over too much coffee. Could caffeine do that to your brain? You had no idea, but you thought that you had to be hallucinating, otherwise why would the mighty Thor be spending his evening with you?

Well, you shrugged with a grin, even if it was just a hallucination, there was no reason why you could not enjoy it while it lasted.

So you started your favourite movie, but paused it to wait for Thor to come over with your snacks. In the meantime, you grabbed a blanket and snuggled into it on the couch.

“I see you have already made yourself comfortable.”, Thor commented when he entered and you giggled at his words. You both exchanged a smile and you could already feel how your heartache lessened. It would not be gone tomorrow, but it sure helped to know just how much someone cared about you. The plate Thor had with him was huge and it was filled with pop tarts.

“How many of those are for me?”, you giggled and he boomed with laughter, then replied, “As many as you like. Do not worry, I will eat the rest.”

“And that’s a threat if ever I heard one.”, you joked and then settled with Thor on the couch, the plate resting on his thigh… where it fit comfortably. In order to reach for a pop tart, you had to scoot a bit closer to him and for a moment, you narrowed your eyes, wondering if he had done that on purpose. But he just gave you another innocent smile and you discarded the thought. Why would he?

So you scooted closer and grabbed a pop tart to nibble on while watching the movie. You knew the lines so well, you could recite them all, knew the exact intonation of every line of dialogue. Yes, you loved that movie.

The silence between you and Thor was only interrupted by your breathing and the sounds of munching pop tarts, but it was never truly broken. It was comfortable, balm for your soul and aching heart. And it showed.

You felt your eyelids growing heavy, your body slumping and at one point you simply gave in, too exhausted from the day, and you let your head rest on the back of the couch. You felt your eyes close and your head tilt to the side until it leaned against something warm and hard, yet comfortable to lie on, so your tired, fogged up mind did not bother in the slightest.

The next thing you knew, your world was gently rocking and the movie was gone.

“Huh?”, you mumbled, trying to rub your eyes, but your hands were tangled in the blanket and… someone was carrying you.

“Go back to sleep.”, Thor gently mumbled over you and your mind, still dazed from falling asleep on the couch, obviously, agreed with him that it was a fabulous idea, so you leaned your head against his shoulder and, enjoying the warmth radiating off his skin, you snuggled closer. He answered that with a slight chuckle that rumbled through his chest and reverberated through your very bones. Being held was good…

You faintly heard a door being opened and only realised that it had been the door to your room when you were placed on your bed and gently tucked into the blanket Thor had brought with you. You murmured something that you did not really understand yourself, and you guessed that neither did Thor, but he chuckled and gently brushed a strand of hair out of your face as he mumbled a reply: “If you want me to.”

Huh? You had no idea what you had said to him, but you were too sleepy to really wonder.

When the mattress shifted under additional weight and Thor’s arms were put around you again, you figured out what you had asked him and in the back of your mind, you panicked, but the bigger part of your mind was just happily purring itself to sleep.

“Sweet dreams, lovely lady.”, you heard Thor whisper before his lips placed a soft goodnight-kiss onto your forehead. That way you were sure to have sweet dreams… and probably a new way of fighting loneliness, even if too many pop tarts would make you gain weight.

But who cared? Certainly not the god who had just put you to bed and stayed there with you, pulling you close against his side, and brushing his fingers through your hair.


	6. A sticky note with something scribbled on it

Squinting your eyes, you tried to decipher the little note from afar, dreading to go closer and actually reading it. It sure as heck would not be anything pretty… Dang, it was not. Of course not.

You recognised the scribble right away, huffing loudly as you did. Even though you thought you already knew what it was all about, you took the sticky note from your door and read the few words hastily written on it: “Get down to the lab ASAP, Tony”

No kind pet name, not even a phrase of greeting, no “thanks”, no nothing. But the note was all Tony.

Grumbling lowly to yourself you muttered a curse: “Damn you, alleged “bestest” boss. I’m off the clock.”

But it was no use, you knew it. As soon as you had entered the building, Jarvis had realised your presence and surely had already told Tony that you were available. Sometimes the AI really was an annoying telltale.

Fatalistically giving into your fate, you unlocked the door, only dropped your purse inside along with your coat, then you were off again, making your way to the lab.

Silently asking yourself what on Earth Tony could want now, you swore that if he had just called you down for a joke or to settle some stupid debate with Bruce, you would quit. “Bestest” boss and job with board and lodge, that was so not worth it.

When you approached the lab, you heard rock music playing and realised that this was certainly not about a debate between Tony and Bruce, because your best friend preferred silence while working and at the volume the music was blaring through the hallway, Tony was certainly alone in the lab. Oh heck, maybe he had made another pair of high heels with the propulsion drive he used on his Iron Man suits. He had once asked you – no, urged you – to try them, risking your neck and Bruce had only barely prevented that.

Well, Natasha had warned you that Tony would make you pay for the job he had offered you.

In frustration you pinched the bridge of your nose, already feeling a headache coming your way, but then you squared your shoulders and entered the lab. You flinched at the suddenly increased volume of the music, AC/DC of course, then you wordlessly approached the console and turned it down to a reasonable volume.

“Hey!”, Tony complained, but when he saw you, his frown deepened, “What took you so darn long? I sent that note hours ago!”

“I do have a cell phone, you know? Boss?”, you muttered as a response and Tony blinked, then asked, “Are you giving me attitude?”

“No, why would I?”, you countered, your voice cold and with an edge that made him wince.

“Hey, now, that’s not how you treat your boss and best friend.”, he chided with an almost cute pout, but you only raised an eyebrow in annoyance. You refrained from telling him that Bruce was your best friend, not he, but you did not want to argue. You were far too tired for that bullshit.

“What do you want?”, you asked Tony straight out, only wishing to get the probably stupid task he had for you done and over with so you could get some sleep…or be angry at the world for feeling so alone even though you were with your friends. But an empty bed was cold and lonely.

“The question is, honey…”, Tony replied with a smirk that had you narrow your eyes in suspicion, “What do you want?”

“What?”, you asked him, shaking your head, when Tony came over to you, taking your hands in his in a smooth, certainly well-practiced move. The time he had spent with Pepper had had him monogamous for a while, but it surely had done nothing to diminish his suavity. If anything, being single again made him even more suave.

His touch was almost innocent, at least for Tony, but at the same time it was the most erotic thing you had felt in weeks, maybe months. Damn, that idiot was only holding your hand!

What the hell was wrong with you?! You knew what it was, you had not had sex in a much too long time and you were with Tony, sexiness in person. Darn it.

The crooked grin he gave you told you that he knew and he walked backwards, guiding you along with him. You were tempted to yank your hands from his grasp – or push him to the floor and kiss him senseless – when Tony rounded a corner with you. The sight before you made your eyes wide and it took your mind a moment to process it all.

“You can close your lovely pie hole now.”, Tony smirked, but you tried to form words, glanced at him, then the sight in front of you again before you manage to say, “W-why? What’s all that?”

“Whiskey, a mighty fine one, I might add, and strawberries. And chocolate, never forget chocolate.”, he replied as if that would have explained anything at all, so you whined, “Tony…?”

He grinned, then suddenly pulled at your hands, so you stumbled against his side and he held you there, whispering far too close at your temple, so close you could feel his breath on your skin: “I figured I should buy you dinner at least once, and at least some sort of dinner, before we have sex.”

You winced at that, stared up at him in utter disbelief, but the cheeky smirk on his lips stayed right where it was, it even got brighter as he put both his arms around your waist, pulling you against his chest: “C’mon, honey, we both know it’s inevitable.”

“Uh-huh.”, you muttered defiantly and Tony nodded, grinning happily, “Of course. Look, the moment you walked in this tower for the first time, I knew I just need to have you, neck and crop, all of you. Every square-inch of creamy, wonderful skin.”

You felt your face grow hot with embarrassment… and arousal.

“And that you haven’t pulled back by now tells me you know this as well as I do.”, Tony grinned, his voice husky and his fingers curling against your back, stroking your skin through the fabric of your top. That was…unfair.

You knew you could not resist that and Tony sure as hell knew that as well. But he did not stop just there. With a chuckle, he turned you around and then put his arms around you, closing them over your stomach and pushing you forward, towards the whiskey and the strawberries.

“Here, come on, at least try one.”, he asked you and picked up one of the fruits, then dipped it into the whiskey before offering it to you. All the while Tony held your back against his chest, one arm tightly wound around your waist, and he was placing soft kisses against the back of your neck, below you ear. He had you trembling in his grasp and he enjoyed it.

With a sigh, you gave in. You leaned forward to bite the juicy fruit and it was so delicious. The whiskey left a slight burn that only enhanced the strawberry’s flavour.

Some of the red juicy flowed over your lips and you wanted to catch it with your tongue, but Tony was quicker. He licked your lip clean and exploited your surprised gasp to kiss you deeply.

Within seconds, your mind was blown away. You found yourself clinging to him as if he was your only lifeline and the satisfied grunt Tony uttered made something in you snap. Maybe the last bit of restraint you had still possessed.

Tony grabbed your butt, squeezed it tightly and had you gasping with the sensation, especially as he pressed your middle against his crotch…against his hardened length.

Yes, you wanted that.

The grin that smug bastard wore told you he knew, but well, it took two to tango, so you decided if he wanted to play, he could have that. You bit his lip with force just this side of painful, but you caught him unawares with it and he let go of you with a gasp you made good use of by pushing him away from you, making him stumble backwards.

“Whoa…”, Tony mumbled, beginning to grin again, but you shut him up with a gesture and the words, “Were you a good boy?”

“Exceptionally good.”, Tony replied, but you clicked your tongue, “Liar.”

His eyes grew wide at that and he opened his mouth to talk back, but you found another way to effectively shut him up. You put your hand into his crotch, palming his erect length before squeezing it just a bit too tightly, making him hiss in a mixture of pain and pleasure. While Tony’s eyes were still closed, you grabbed a handful of his hair, yanking him to you for a forceful kiss, all the while keeping your other hand between his legs. He eagerly returned your kiss, but when he tried to hold you, you pushed him away from you.

He stumbled, fell and planted himself onto a chair in the process. He laughed breathlessly and you grinned at him, sure that he had thought you would let him fall to the floor.

“Who knew you’d…”, Tony began, but you grabbed his hair again and pulled his head back, pressing another kiss to his lips and diving deep. When he tried to take a hold of you again, you swatted his hands away, but then used your free hand to once again press against his member, before you brought it up to hastily yank at his belt. You did not care for his pants or his anatomy beneath it, you just wanted the annoying material of his jeans out of the way as quickly as possible.

Tony hissed when you jerked the fabric away, but the sound turned into a guttural groan when your hand slid into his pants. Maybe your grip on him was too tight, but you did not care, all you wanted was the heat you felt and Tony did not complain. His hands combed through your hair as he kissed you and you allowed it as it suited your ideas well. You broke the kiss and licked over his cheek, down his throat and then you bent down, going directly for his hot, hard length, closing your lips around it.

“Oh fu…”, Tony ground out, tightening the hold of his fingers in your hair as he rocked his hips up, but you pinned him down.

This was your show and you intended to conduct it the way you wanted to. You sucked at him, hard, and felt delighted at his ragged hiss, a mixture of pleasure and pain, then you soothed the smooth skin with your tongue, eliciting a moan from Tony. What your lips did not reach, you enclosed in your hand and pumped his length, loving how he shuddered beneath you. Yes, you were definitely enjoying this.

Tony was mumbling nonsense, absolute gibberish by now and you knew you had him entirely at your mercy, Iron Man in your clutches. Wow.

When you grazed your teeth over his tip, you heard Tony gasp and felt his hips snap up again, so you decided it was enough. For now.

You let him out of your mouth with an audible pop and you straightened up, only to be yanked down by him to be kissed on your mouth with more urgency than you had felt ever before.

“I want you.”, he told you, nibbling at your lower lip, “Now. I want to see you on me, all over me.”

You did not have to think twice.

“Ditch the pants.”, you ordered and you got up, quickly discarding your shoes, pants and panties, while Tony struggled to kick off his jeans and boxers, but fishing a condom out of his pocket and quickly putting it on, flinging the litter over his shoulder carelessly.

You did not waste another second, you straddled him and lowered yourself onto his length. You bit your lip from the sensation of being stretched, filled and oh it was delicious.

Tony grabbed your hips and directed your movement, but when you pushed his hands away, steadying yourself with your hands on his shoulders, he mumbled again: “I want to see you.”

Without another word, his hands cupped your breasts and you arched into his touch, tearing a moan from both of you. But Tony then quickly unbuttoned the blouse that was your work attire, at least he tried to, but in between moans and thrusts upward into your body, he got impatient and simply ripped the fabric open, sending buttons flying everywhere. You could not care less, you met his thrusts with fervour, digging your fingers into his shoulders.

Tony snaked an arm around your waist, pulling you even closer, his other hand yanked your bra out of the way and when his lips closed around your nipple, sucking at it hard, licking it and then even biting it, you came with a shattering intensity you had not yet known.

Maybe you had actually passed out, because when you were able to think again, your head rested on Tony’s shoulder and he had both his arms around you, clinging to you and you both breathing hard. That did not stop him from placing open-mouthed kisses onto your neck, though.

You purred sensually, and then looked into his eyes.

“Don’t.”, he simply said and you frowned, so he added with a crooked grin, “Don’t try to analyse that. It was what it was, amazing. From here on I’d say we wing it, figure it out as we go. This can just be amazing sex – the best I ever had and that’s saying a lot, honey – or it can grow. Let’s see, but not worry. Okay?”

“Agreed.”, you said and placed a kiss onto his mouth, this one much gentler than all the others before, but it was as good. Just different.

You both dressed in silence, but when you stood there, unsure whether to turn away and leave or not, Tony made that decision for you by pulling you close again and suggesting: “We still have the strawberries and whiskey. What do you say? A little snack and then round two?”

He wriggled his eyebrows and with an almost feral growl, you pulled him down to your level, kissing him hard before you muttered against his lips: “I can go all night. How ‘bout you?”

His promising reply was: “Baby, you’d be surprised.”


	7. A rose

You blinked your eyes in disbelief. There was a flower at your door, but not just any flower. No, it was a single red rose, its petals red as blood and, as you gently touched them, almost velvet against your fingertips. It had thorns, like a proper rose should; there was no light without dark, not good without bad… no rose without a thorn.

You smiled and untied the ribbon that bound the rose to the handle of your door. With a slight gasp you rubbed the material between your fingers and realised it was truly velvet. Who would go to such expenses to buy you a rose and a velvety ribbon?

You had no idea, but for the moment, neither did you care. You simply enjoyed that someone cared enough. Sure, your friends all cared for you, they all looked out for you, but truth be told, you still felt lonely sometimes. Especially at night.

Maybe the rose was from suitor… oh, saucy, you thought to yourself as you unlocked the door and entered your room. Getting rid of your coat, shoes and your purse, you then took the time to take in the rose’s scent. It was marvellous. Sweet, yet spicy, heavy and heady. You did not even know such a flower existed and now you held one in your hand. Incredible.

Smiling to yourself, you quickly grabbed a vase and watered the rose, then decided to put it on your nightstand, hoping that the scent would accompany you to bed, guide you into pleasant dreams. You sure as heck could use some pleasant dreams. If they happened to be of the steamy sort, all the better.

You once again inhaled the rose’s scent deeply while making your way to your bedroom, then you placed the vase on your nightstand, smiling happily at how beautiful it looked there. It was ridiculous, but you wanted the take in the scent once more, so you bent towards the rose.

“What a view…”, an appreciative purr sounded behind you and your heart leapt in your chest with fright. Spinning around and automatically adopting the fighting stance Natasha had taught you, you faced your enemy… but then exhaled in relief and confusion both.

“Lucas.”, you muttered, recognising your friend from the coffee shop, “Gosh, you gave me a fright.”

“And you gave me the nicest view.”, he replied, a flirtatious smirk on his lips that you knew from him by now… and as always it had you trembling, your heart pounding. And, apparently, it had turned your brain to mush, because it took you several moments in which he looked at you until you stuttered, suspicion rising in you: “How… did you get in here?”

“Child’s play.”, he replied, dismissively waving your question away as he stepped closer. Then he stood there, only two steps away from you, taking in your appearance with intensity in his eyes you had not yet seen in them, despite all the afternoons and evenings you two had spent at the coffee shop.

“Lucas…?”, you asked, but he tutted, shaking his head and then he corrected you, “It is about time you learned my name.”

You blinked at him, afraid of what he would say, horrified by the revelation that he had lied to you. Suddenly your fear turned into anger and you were hurt, so you shot a question at him, your fury evident in your voice: “Who the hell are you?”

“Now, where are the ogling eyes you showed me in that coffee shop?”, he asked you, smirking but you had had enough. You had been lied to just too much in the last few weeks and in this moment, your rage burst out: “Get out, now! I hate being lied to. Go.”

Your visitor cocked his head, his long black hair falling over his shoulder as he did so and he pursed his lips as if in contemplation, then he nodded in the mocking of coming to a decision and stated: “I think not.”

That was more than you were willing to take. With a hiss of anger, you charged at him, barely remembering what Natasha had taught you and you paid for it. He grabbed your hand that had been aimed for his throat, but in the last moment you dodged his attack and started a counterattack, catching him unawares. Unfortunately, he was way better than you were.

Within an instant, he had you pinned to the wall of your bedroom, pressing your back against the hard, cold wall while pinning your hands high over your head, so high that you were forced to stand on the tips of your toes. Gosh, he was tall.

“Calm down, pet, or you will only hurt yourself.”, he ordered you with a smirk, “You do not really believe that you can defeat me. I am Loki.”

You gasped at that. He could not be… he, Lucas, the friend you had known for a few weeks by now, was a kind man, a gentle soul… and you had fallen for him.

This man could not be Loki.

Tears formed in your eyes, but you blinked them away. Still, he saw them and with gentleness you knew from Lucas, but could not bring yourself to associate with Loki, he held both your wrists in one of his long and slender hands, while the other wiped away your tears.

“Don’t fret, darling.”, he told you, but you hissed angrily, even though it came out as a sob, “You lied to me.”

“Not by choice.”, he told you and the sincerity in his voice made you look at him. There was a faint smile on his lips and he said by way of an explanation: “Would you have spoken even one word to me if you had known my name when we met?”

No… you would most certainly have not. The way he chuckled at that made you know that he knew that as well and he added: “I thought so. I followed Thor’s movements, I saw you with them all, saw how you were treated, how you fought against that imbecile that was your boss. You deserved better.”

The way he said that made something in your mind prick up and suspicion arose again, so you muttered: “You’re not telling me that you had a hand in getting me fired.”

“Oh, I did.”, he admitted shamelessly, “Not only did I have a hand in it, I am fully responsible.”

“Why?!”, you demanded, but it only made him chuckle, so you bucked against the restraints that were his hands and his body. By that, you only managed to press closer against him and he purred in appreciation, even leaned closer and inhaled the scent of your skin, just like you had inhaled the scent of the rose moments before. You froze, willing your heart to quit its telltale pounding when you felt Loki’s breath against your throat as he spoke again: “You are better than that, better than that job, than all those inapt fools that claimed to be your colleagues and friends.”

“Don’t tell me you…”, you began, but could not bring yourself to say the words.

“No.”, Loki spoke fiercely and looked into your eyes, bored into them with his gaze as he firmly told you, “That lowlife that had the unbelievable fortune of being with you did what he did on his own. I could never hurt you like that. Never.”

“But you have hurt people…”, you objected and Loki’s features turned hard, unforgiving before he stated, “Yes. But not you.”

It was insane, truly crazy… but you believed him. And the knowledge you had acquired about him and what he had done did not matter to you, it only mattered what he had been with you. Gentle, teasing, funny… after a few afternoons spent together, only talking, he had accomplished what your friends had not been able to do. He had made you feel whole again.

“I… don’t know why.”, you murmured, slowly looking at him, “But I believe you.”

“I knew you would.”, he told you gently stroking over your cheek with his forefinger, “You see so much more than most. All they see is a monster, but you…”

Slowly, a smile graced your lips and pressed closer against him as you told him in a whisper: “I see you.”

Your words made something in him snap, almost audibly so. With a swift motion, he hooked his free hand around your neck, curling his fingers against your skin as he pulled you in for a kiss, harsh, greedy and oh so good. You responded with the same urgency he showed and lust rushed through your body, your need for intimacy fanned from a lowly glimmering blaze to licking flames within an instant.

You pushed your tongue past his lips, hungry for his taste, his caress. Loki shuddered against you and pulled back, but you did not allow him to, instead you bit his lower lip to keep him close to you. He snarled at you, but instead of intimidating you, the sound had you lusting after him, heat coiling in your gut. You wanted Loki, you needed him. Now.

He let go of your wrists and picked you up, snaking your legs around his waist, keeping you pinned against the wall in your back, your middle open for him. He did not hesitate. Still clothed, his hips bucked against yours, letting you feel the hard length in his trousers press against your hot, wet middle, exactly the spot you wanted to feel him the most. But your clothes were in the way. So you decided they had to go.

But when Loki kept thrusting against your middle, pressing against the part that wanted him so badly and at the same time sucked at your throat, sure to leave a mark, you were helpless, unable to think, only barely able to grab fists full of his hair and holding him in place. Your grip was too tight, but you did not care. He groaned, and the sound had you shivering with lust. And when his hand cupped your breast through the fabric of your blouse, giving it a hard squeeze, you moaned loudly, unable to keep your lust in.

Hastily, Loki yanked at the hem of your shirt, pushing it upward and as soon as he had uncovered your bra, he left the fabric there to lean down and lick over the mound of your breast, along the edge of the piece of clothing. Then he dipped his tongue under the fabric and the tip of his tongue brushed against your nipple, drawing a loud moan from your lips that you tried to stifle with your hand, but it was no use.

“Let me hear you.”, Loki whispered harshly against your throat before placing a wet and open-mouthed kiss under your ear, then he even bit you hard, just at the right side of painful and murmured, “I want to hear you, see you, feel you. I want all of you, love.”

His words had you trembling and before you knew it, before anything but your lust had been able to think about it, you cupped his cheeks in your palms, looked him square in the eye and whispered back: “Then take all of me.”

With a groan Loki crashed his lips to yours so forcefully your back and your head hit the wall behind you, but you did not care in the slightest, you clung to him just as he held you tightly to his chest, kissing you breathless. You did not even realise that he had left the wall until Loki pushed you down onto your bed, pressing his erect length against your middle, making you gasp. Then the only thing that mattered to you was to get rid of your clothes, to have him naked over you.

You yanked, pulled and tore at your clothes, not caring in the slightest whether or not you ruined something and you peeled Loki out of his attire with the same lack of care.

“Hush, love.”, he chuckled over you, amusement in his eyes, but you grumbled, “Uh-huh, forget it. I want you, now, here.”

With a smirk, he got up, leaving you high and dry on the bed while he stood next to it. You opened your mouth to complain, but just then Loki started to slowly undress, capturing your gaze as he did so, never letting it go while he peeled away one layer after the other, revealing more and more skin, lean muscle, cold beauty as he did so.

Even though you felt the chill of the room, sitting there half naked, you had never felt so hot, your skin too tight for you, everything in you ready to pounce, to snap. Instead you watched Loki, but when he started to remove his trousers, so did you. Every last bit of clothing, you two shed simultaneously.

Your hands were shaking when only your panties were left, but when Loki stripped off the last piece of clothing covering him, so did you.

His gaze roamed over your naked form, paused at the swell of your breasts, his tongue darting out to lick his lips appreciatively.

With a smirk, you decided to play a little. Still sitting on the bed, you opened your legs wide, baring yourself to him, allowing him to see everything. He did not move, only balled his hands to fists, so you upped it a bit. You slowly stroked your hand over your stomach, first upwards to your breasts, pinching one nipple and biting your lip as you did so, both to tease Loki and because you would otherwise have moaned, then you slid your hand down, over your stomach, beyond… and you did moan loudly as your fingers reached your middle, two of them diving into the wet, tight heat.

You closed your eyes, but a feral growl made you snap them open and you only saw a blur of motion before Loki’s lips were on yours again and he pushed you back onto your bed with his weight and his strength. His hips bucked against yours, but not in the way you wanted them to, so you pulled him closer and crossed your ankles behind his back, urging him to come to you, to fill you. Loki chuckled, then nibbled at your ear before licking over your throat, whispering: “Patience, love.”

You only snorted at that, but that did not stop him from his intentions. Loki’s hands closed over your breasts, making you arch into his touch, his lips making you shiver as they kissed a path down your throat, over your chest and replacing his hand over one of your breasts, always kissing, licking… then sucking at your nipple, even biting it. Your hands twitched helplessly, but then you grabbed his hair, half of a mind to yank him away as his teeth inflicted pain, but it was such sweet, lustful pain, the other half of your mind wanted to keep him exactly where he was.

Yet he took the decision from you, his mouth wandering deeper, leaving a wet trail of kisses, his hands following behind. They then pinned your hips down and just as you wondered why, you felt Loki’s tongue lick from your wet opening up to your clit, sucking it into his mouth and pressing his tongue against it.

Not even his tight grip kept you from bucking your hips upward, against his mouth. You felt the low rumble of his chuckle going through your body, enhancing the touch of his tongue in the most sensual way you could ever have imagined. When he then added two of his long, slender fingers to his caress, bending them just in the right angle, sliding them in and out in just the right way, he had you twitching under him.

You were so close… Loki suddenly stopped his movements and when you opened your dazed eyes, you looked right into his, a smirk on his lips. His gaze dropped to your lips and when he leaned down to kiss you, his hard length entered your body in a single, slow thrust that had you arching against him, your hands digging into his shoulders, your lips moving against his in a breathless kiss.

Within an instant, all his control was gone, flown away and forgotten like yours, and your bodies clashed together in a fierce, raw, but utterly honest act of lust, pure and simple. No words were needed nor wanted as Loki pressed you into the mattress, both your mouths too entranced with kissing to speak, but you hissed his name as your entire body shook with lust, hot bliss pulsing through your veins. You felt Loki shiver above you, his embrace tightening around you, almost crushing, but it was good to be held like that.

Both your hearts pounded against your ribcages and you combed your fingers through Loki’s long, dark hair, smiling at him as he slowly raised his head from where he had hidden his face in the crook of your neck. There was something in his eyes, but it vanished quickly and was replaced by a crooked, disbelieving smile. Then you realised what you had seen in his eyes: Fear, just a hint of it, but it had been there.

“I am not going to leave you.”, you whispered and for a moment, Loki stared at you, a haunted look in his eyes, but you cupped his cheek in your shaking hand and reassured him, “I’m with you. Only you.”

He bit his lip, but did not hide the tears that filled his sad eyes. With a deep, shuddering breath, he pressed his lips to yours in a gentle kiss, then he whispered against your lips: “Why? I am a fugitive, I cannot give you what you deserve, for you deserve a kingdom, an entire realm.”

“But I want you.”, you stated, “Not a crown or a castle. For all I care, we can live in a shack as long as we live there together.”

He closed his eyes, hid his face again and when he looked at you, he asked with a smirk: “How did I ever deserve you?”

“Hm, good question. We’ll have to find something, won’t we?”

At this he laughed and tickled you, then pleaded sincerely: “Come with me.”

You nodded and told him: “Just give me a minute to pack and leave a note so they know I’m not dead. Then I’m yours.”

This Loki rewarded with a growl and a kiss. You two took your time leaving.


	8. A teddy bear

When you saw what was there, the mere sight instantly plastered a smile to your face. Shaking your head and giggling to yourself, you picked up the teddy bear sitting in front of your door. The little guy wore jeans and a white T-shirt, reminding you of someone, and the bear also had a message tied to his paw.

With a grin you slipped the sheet of paper off the teddy’s paw and hugged him close to your chest while reading the few lines neatly written down and addressed to you:

“Hi, I am your new teddy bear. Lonely nights are a bummer, but now we both won’t be this lonely any more. Plus, a friend of ours has a surprise for you, so why don’t you go meet him on the roof? Love, your teddy.”

“Aww.”, you cooed and hugged the teddy closer, gingerly rolling the message back up and putting it into your purse before you made your way to the roof.

There were butterflies in your stomach as you took the elevator up and you bit your lip wondering who could be up there. The message had said “meet him”, so it was a man, but who?

Looking at the teddy you were almost smothering in your arms by now, you thought that only one of your friends in the Tower was cute enough to think of getting you a teddy, but… you could not be sure. Still, if the teddy’s clothing was any indication…

The “pling!” with which the elevator arrived at your destination made you flinch, but then you giggled at your own nervousness.

“Let’s meet this mutual friend.”, you said to your new teddy and stepped out of the elevator. Instantly, the warm breeze of the afternoon whipped your hair around, but when you had it out of your face again, you saw no one. You were alone.

You refused to believe that whoever had gotten a teddy for you and written that sweet message should have stood you up, so you turned a corner and walked around the elevator’s exit. When you saw him, you smiled happily.

There at the western side of the roof was Steve, smoothing out a picnic blanket and re-arranging plates and glasses. He was even dressed exactly like the teddy in your arms. At that thought you giggled and he turned around in surprise, then quickly got to his feet and walked over to you: “Hi. Good to see you found the teddy. And… didn’t run when you did.”

“Why would I?”, you asked in genuine confusion and Steve tried to say something, but then shrugged his broad shoulders without a word of explanation. Instead he gestured to the blanket and said: “I hope you like picnics. And breakfast, because the only meal I’m any good at is breakfast.”

“So breakfast for dinner?”, you asked with a smile and Steve nodded shyly, so you laughed happily, “Sure! I love your pancakes. Sadly, Thor eats them all before I get any most morning.”

At this, Steve chuckled and led you over to the blanket, saying: “I had to defend those pancakes, but I succeeded somehow.”

“I’m sure you fought heroically.”, you joked as you two sat down and he threw back his head in laughter before replying, “Not really. After telling him he couldn’t have any of those as they were for you, Thor pouted. So I made an extra stack just for him.”

You chuckled along, but it soon turned into a fit of laughter and when you could speak again, you had to wipe away tears: “I can imagine that. Steve, you are such a softie.”

He shrugged and looked away, so you added: “Which is a good thing.”

“You think?”, he asked, surprise in his blue eyes and you nodded, but teased, “Sure, it’s gotten me pancakes!”

Steve rolled his eyes at that, but smiled when he opened the basket he had prepared and dished out the pancakes. You peeked into the basket and your jaw dropped. He had thought of everything, there was milk, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, maple syrup, your favourite fruits… and something you did not recognise because it was covered.

“You’re nosey today.”, Steve chided with a grin and you pouted, countering, “It’s not every day that someone leaves a teddy bear at my door and makes me breakfast dinner. As a picnic on the roof, no less.”

The smile he gave you then was proud and with a smirk you realised that he had hoped for that, had tried to do something for you no one had ever done for you. Well, after your latest boyfriend, that cheating bastard, Steve would not have had to try so hard, because simply being with him would have been better than any other night with that idiot. But he had pushed himself and you could not help but wonder… was this a date? Or just a friendly gesture from a good friend?

You did not know, but you could hope. For the moment, though, you decided to dig in before the pancakes got cold. You topped them with everything you liked, then took the first bite… and closed your eyes with a happy sound, half sigh, half moan.

“Those. Are. So. Good.”, you said and smiled at Steve who only gave you a crooked grin, then concentrated on his own stack of pancakes.

“You could take that compliment once in a while, you know.”, you told him and he looked at you, but then shook his head, “It’s nothing special…”

“Making the best damn pancakes in the world isn’t special?”, you muttered and when he looked at you again, his brows raised, you added, “Well, if that isn’t special, then I don’t know what is.”

“Being such a wonderful person like you.”, Steve said, “That’s special.”

Now it was your turn to stare in surprise. You even felt your cheeks heat with a sudden blush as you averted your eyes and meekly mumbled: “I’m not…”

“Yes you are.”, Steve said firmly and you stole a peep at him only to see him nod, “You are… unbelievable. The way you deal with things. You had had a rough day and you were devastated when Tony offered you to live here, but… you pulled through. Within a few hours, you were almost back to normal. Sure, you are still hurt, but you make it really hard to see that. You have brought order to that chaos that is Tony’s lab, you have even managed to get him and me to sit at the same table and keep our conversation civilised, amicable even. I thought I’d never see the day. And you did all that, you cared for all of our problems, took care of us when you had the toughest weeks of your life. I just… I can only marvel at what you are. So… I wanted to do something for you. And I couldn’t think of anything but this.”

At that, he gestured at the blanket and the basket, filled with food he had prepared, but he looked away from you, almost… ashamed.

You could not say anything, you were still processing what he had just told you.

Slowly, Steve turned to you and said your name, but when he looked at your face, he quickly took your hand in his, saying: “I’m sorry, I…I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I…”, you began to protest, you were so not crying, but your voice was thick and when Steve gently wiped his thumb over your cheek you felt the wetness of tears and realised that yes, you had been crying. Strange.

“I…”, you began again, then took a shuddering breath and settled for something else to say, “No one has ever done anything like that for me. Thank you. I never knew… that I had such a great friend.”

“And we haven’t even gotten to the pie yet.”, Steve joked and you laughed, wiping your cheek to get rid of the tears before you smiled, “There’s pie as well? Are you trying to fatten me?”

“No.”, Steve said, “But I know you like pancakes and apple pie.”

“So do you.”, you shot back with a grin and he nodded as he admitted, “True enough. So why not enjoy it together?”

“True.”, you agreed and finished your pancakes, eager to get to the apple pie. Steve gave you both a generous piece of the pie he had made and you inhaled its sweet scent, the apple, the buttery crumble and the cinnamon.

“Let me specify that. I love your apple pie.”, you said as soon as you had had the first bite and Steve laughed, but then said with the cutest blush on his face, “Yours is way better.”

“Nonsense.”, you said, but he did not accept the compliment, as usual. But you smiled and thought of the one time you two had baked together, all the while having had to defend the precious goods from the rest of the Avengers.

“Do you remember when I had to chase Clint outta the kitchen with a wooden spoon while you defended the scones?”, you asked and Steve laughed, then said, “Oh yes! You were so fierce, I think he was afraid of you for a whole week after that.”

“You say that as if you weren’t.”, you grinned and Steve shot back with an equally amused smile, “Of you? Never. You’re far too cute to be fearsome.”

“Careful, Mister.”, you threatened him, pointed your fork at him before you put your plate away, “I’ve floored you once and I will not hesitate to do that again.”

“Pah!”, Steve scoffed with a smirk, “You only floored me because you caught me unawares. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. It won’t happen again.”

“Are you sure?”, you growled, inwardly grinning, but outwardly putting on the most threatening expression you could muster. Steve frowned a little, clearly surprised by the fierceness you showed and that was the moment you pounced, catching him off guard again. With a battle cry you tackled him, actually knocking the wind out of his lungs with a yelp as you pushed him to the ground and then you began to tickle him. You had no idea if Steve was actually… yes, he was ticklish.

He was laughing hysterically under you, trying to push your hands away, but failing as he was flopping like a fish on land. It was just too funny and admittedly also very, very heart-wrenchingly cute, so you too exploded in a fit of laughter.

You were both breathless when you had to stop tickling him and you merely rested your head were it landed, on top of your folded hands that in turn were resting right above Steve’s heart. He smiled at you, his chest heaving under you with deep breaths, his cheeks red either from laughing so hard or maybe… because his arms were around you, pressing you to him in a loose embrace. When he gulped, his eyes darting to and fro, you knew which reason it was. You could have gotten off him then, but then again, you liked being so close to him, so you decided to stay right where you were.

“Uhm…”, Steve mumbled, his hands fidgeting, but that only made him spread his fingers, thereby fanning them out over your sides. That did not tickle… but it nevertheless made you shiver.

“I…uhm, I actually wanted to show you the sunset from up here.”

You grinned at him. Sunset? Oh gosh, he was a softie and a romantic at heart. The heart that was still thumping wildly against the palms of your hands.

“It… really is quite beautiful.”, Steve murmured and with a smile, you sat up again. He instantly followed, crossing his arms in front of his still heaving chest as if to protect himself. From you? You wondered that in silence and with a rueful grin when Steve looked at you and smiled warmly at you, before putting one arm around you. You were pleasantly surprised and leaned against his shoulder, watching the sun set while cuddled up against his side, hearing his heart beat fast and hard, but steady. It somehow was the most comforting sound you had ever listened to.

And hearing it while watching the sun set was almost too cheesy. Almost, but you loved it anyway.

Maybe you were mistaken, but you could have sworn that Steve had pressed a kiss to the top of your head exactly when the sun vanished behind the horizon. When it grew darker around you and also colder, you shivered from the cold despite Steve’s warm body beside you and with a smile and a quick hug, he wordlessly started packing up the picnic. You helped him and said: “We’ll make quick work of the dishes together.”

“Oh no.”, Steve shook his head, “This was a surprise for you. No way you’re gonna have any work with this.”

You blinked at him for a moment, then you arched an eyebrow and challenged him: “Try and stop me.”

He gulped, then smiled and bowed his head in mock obedience, “I would not think of it, ma’am.”

“Good then.”, you said, collecting the last pieces of cutlery, packing the basket Steve then carried to the elevator while you held your teddy close to your chest.

While riding down to the kitchen, you looked over at Steve and said: “Thank you for tonight. And the teddy bear.”

“My pleasure.”, he replied with a smile and then you two stayed silent, entered the kitchen and washed the dishes in a quiet, but comfortable and familiar routine.

“See?”, you said when you had done the dishes in no time, “I told you so.”

“I never doubted it.”, Steve said, but pursed his lips, “I just didn’t want for you to have to work tonight.”

“I’m fine.”, you said, but were interrupted by your own yawn, “Fine, but tired apparently. I think I’ll turn in early tonight.”

“Alright.”, Steve said, but bit his lip and fidgeted with his hair, a telltale sign that there was something he had to get off his chest, but did not dare to.

“C’mon.”, you quietly urged him at exactly the same moment he suggested, “I’ll walk you to our room.”

At first you were surprised and your first instinct was to say that you would find your room well on your own, but he was Steve, an old-school gentleman, so you simply nodded and allowed him to lead you. It was awkward to walk next to him, to feel him look at you then and again, but him not saying a single word until you arrived at your door.

“Well, good night.”, you said and he merely nodded, indistinctly mumbling, “Good night.”

“And thank you again.”, you said as you had unlocked your door, but then decided that you would not leave it at that. So you stepped closer, catching Steve unaware again, but this time you got to the tips of your toes and pecked him on the cheek.

He did not react in the slightest, so you turned away to enter your room. That was when you felt his hand holding you back by grabbing your wrist gently, but determinedly.

“Yeah?”, you asked with a smile and Steve tried to say something, but did not succeed. He then gave up, shaking his head and you thought he would simply leave.

He did not. Instead, his big, warm and yet gentle hands cupped your cheeks and he pulled you against him, leaned down to you and pressed his lips to yours in the sweetest, most insecure kiss you had ever been given. And it was the best kiss.

A second later, Steve stepped back, his face alarmingly red and he was simply starring at you. That was until you stepped closer and hooked your arms around his neck to pull him down to you, then his eyes went wide before you kissed him.

It took him a moment, but when he returned your kiss, he pulled you flush against his chest, even picked you up and you closed your legs around his waist.

“We’ve spent the evening together.”, you said, breathlessly, “Why don’t we expand that to the whole night? What do you say?”

“A-absolutely.”, Steve stammered, holding you close and entering your room with you still in his arms. He would not let you go for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> I did not specify who left which item because, you know, then the secret admirer would not be secret anymore. ;-)
> 
> Hope you can forgive that little mystery and enjoy!


End file.
